Azad Kashmir cracks down on illegal cigarette factories

BHIMBER: On the instructions of Prime Minister Azad Kashmir Chaudhry Faisal Rathore, a series of operations against illegal cigarette factories are underway.

According to sources, the Bhimber Circle of the Inland Revenue Department of Azad Kashmir recently raided an illegal cigarette factory on Gujrat Road, Bhimber and sealed it.

According to details, the raid was conducted on Gujrat Road, Bhimber under the leadership of Assistant Commissioner Inland Revenue Circle Bhimber Chaudhry Azhar Hussain on a tip-off. A cigarette unit was raided. During the operation, a large quantity of non-duty paid cigarettes were also seized and legal action has been initiated.

According to sources, Prime Minister Azad Kashmir Faisal Rathore has issued zero tolerance orders against illegal cigarette units. But despite these orders, illegal cigarette units are continuing their work in various ways, which is raising questions about the effectiveness of the implementation of the orders of Prime Minister Faisal Rathore.

According to sources, Prime Minister Chaudhry Faisal Rathore has a clear stance on the illegal cigarette sector that no illegal cigarette unit will be allowed to operate and a zero tolerance policy has been adopted in this regard. However, informed sources say that illegal cigarette units are continuing their activities secretly with the alleged help of political and bureaucratic elements at the lower levels.
Sources have further revealed that a few weeks ago, after the Prime Minister’s stern notice and expression of displeasure, the tax authorities had exposed a unit in a single day that was operating under the guise of buffaloes, which reveals the complex mechanism of this illegal network.

In addition, every year on the occasion of Eid, a ban was imposed under Section 144 on the transportation of cigarettes in various areas including Mirpur and Bhimber so that illegal cigarettes were not smuggled out of Azad Kashmir during the Eid holidays. However, according to sources, no such ban was implemented during Eid this year, which is raising questions on the district administration and the concerned authorities.

According to sources, although there are clear instructions at the highest level, weakness in implementation or possible collusion at the grassroots level is becoming a major reason for this problem. He stressed that the Prime Minister will have to ensure more strict and effective supervision over the concerned departments so that the illegal cigarette business can be completely eradicated.
According to tax officials, operations against non-duty paid and illegal cigarettes will continue and more raids are likely in the coming days.